What can one say?  Its BNG, therefore it's wet, or as one Committee member (Pietro Abate) put it: "How do you spell rain?   B-N-G".  With two stunning drives out planned by Paul Spensley's team from the North East, one had top be cancvelled completely as the roads were impassable whilst the other was, to say the least, challenging.  But then boats are made from GRP as well so we should be all right!

The cancelled route was the drive north to Floors Castle at Kelso on the Scottish/English borderand then back via Kielder Reservoir, (the biggest man made reservoir in Europe).  Unfortunately the road that was to have made up a significant portion of the route, the A697 was still closed due to flooding at Powburn some three days later.

So that left all drivers enjoying some of the most famous stretches of ‘driving’ raods in the country including the ‘Military Road’ running parallel to Hadrians Wall, and the A686 over Hartside with a bacon buttie stop included at the Hartside café (the highest café in England at circa 1904 ft above sea level) via Alston.

However, even this was to make for an interesting adventure. Let's hear from another Committee member who will take up the story (thanks Pauline!):

"Yup...it certainly did rain....

"Us lot from the South have decided to rename our annual pilgramage ....it's now the BWG.........Big Wet Gathering!

"But, d'you know.....it would have been great obviously if the weather had been fine....but we still had a really good time, even though the weather was awful........

"Well actually on Saturday it was appalling.  It would have been easy for any organiser to cancel the drives....but many hardy TVR driving souls had turned up for the drive.....and a drive was laid on.  All credit to the organisers.

"And what a drive......appalling conditions, wind and rain of the 'lashing' variety.....(I did really well with my brolly Mary Poppins style....but the wind beat it in the end!!)..but I really enjoyed that drive.  Traversing the small flood.....okay then....river...in the middle of the road was .....eerrrrrm........interesting.....

"It was done on the principle of Ray saying......if that Sag ahead of us can get through it then we can!!!!!!!

I'll say nothing about the guy in the 4x4   who went through it at a great rate whilst a TVR was gently floating over and covered the TVR completely........cos it would involve a great many swear words.

"Really enjoyed lunch at the Alston café....great cakes".

At least dinner on the Saturday night wasn't al fresco but was in a super venue. Right by the river in what seemed like the heart of Newcastle. As our correspondent said: "Bet that's a super place when it's fine cos you could sit outside on the balcony overlooking the river and castle".

Sunday saw an improvement to allow some polishing and other activities.  Prizes were awarded as follows:

Concours:

Loudest TVR (much more fun than listening to the stereo!)

To open a full size image in a new window, click on the thumbnails below.

Photos with grateful thanks to members Chris & Roger Thomas and Martin.  More photos of this in our Members' Discussion Forum.  Not yet a member?  Click here to join.